#ThrowbackThursdayWe were interviewed by Paul Blais at NCECA Pittsburgh, back in 2018, after having our first Room Show. The Room Show was a pottery sale that Denise and I organized with invited artists Chris Landers, Tim Sherman, and Troy Bungart.To quote Paul "So [the room show] was going to be the point of the conversation. As we got into this we ended up spending a significant amount of time talking about what it is like being a part of the woodfire pottery community."

Enjoy tuning into this episode and the other 500 plus pottery interview episodes on The Potter's Cast.

​Soda Firing Theory: Altered & Carved Forms

Course Description:This workshop is an introduction to soda firing theory. Students will explore a variety of soda-fired surfaces on their own work. In addition to hands on thrown, altered and carved workshop making with the soda kiln in mind!

Day 1: Glazing demonstration and presentation on soda fired surfaces. Students glaze and wad their workDay 2: Loading kiln and discussionDay 3: Fire kiln and throwing demonstrationDay 4: Carving demonstration and unloading discussionDay 5: Unloading the kiln and demonstrations on cleaning work

Attached below is Ceramics Monthly's "Exposure" section from there November 2018 magazine.My yellow pitcher as featured for my exhibition "Eccentricity" at the James May Gallery. The exhibit will be up November through December.

Originally published in November 2018 issue of Ceramics Monthly, pages 14.http://www.ceramicsmonthly.org . Copyright, The American Ceramic Society. Reprinted with permission.

Here are additional ceramics that will be included in the exhibit, and by no means all of the pieces.

This fall I was excited to be part of Ken Bichell's Cassville Anagama firing crew, and it was a pleasant surprise to have this newpaper article " Wood-fired: A photographic look inside the Kiln.Telegraph Herald Oct 7, 2018

As I finalize preparations to attend the conference, I wanted to share some of my tips about getting the most out of the conference. This information is especially valuable for those of you attending NCECA for the first time.

Budget:

Food!

You can keep costs down by packing your own lunches, and most hotels have refrigerators and microwave. Remember the benefits veggies, fruit, and nuts as they do not spoil.

Plan to eat some meals out. I’m definitely a foodie in training, and now that I live rurally, I'm all the more motivated to enjoy some ethnic cuisine. Do your research on restaurants in the area and be the decisive person in the group with great restaurant suggestions. P. S. I am looking for restaurant recommendations!

ToolsAt NCECA, there are a lot of vendors making it a great time to test out new tools and save yourself shipping costs.

Plan:

Need I mention food again...

Use "The App." It includes a copy of the Program of lectures. You can even save the lectures you want to attend with the app. Also, it's advisable to set an alarm on your phone for a lecture you want to attend. The app also includes a list of all the NCECA sponsored Exhibitions. One of my favorite parts about going to NCECA is seeing all of the new work at exhibitions. Highlight the exhibits that want to see and then group them by geographic location to save yourself time.

Remember, uber makes it totally doable to see some the exhibitions that are farther out.​

Exercise:I never go to NCECA without my sneakers. A morning run is a great way to start the day, get some alone time to soak in the information you are learning, and just reset to enjoy all that the day has to offer. Click here to see some of my pins for exercise in the hotel room. ​

Volunteer:

If you plan in advance to volunteer, you can have the conference fee waived. This year I am volunteering for their annual Cup Sale. P. S. Don’t forget to bring a cup to donate to help fundraise for scholarships. This is a picture of the tumbler I will be donating this year. A big thank you to Richard Wehrs who does so much to make this event happen.

Support and Connect:

The clay world really is a small world and this conference is a great opportunity to reconnect with ceramic artists you have met in the past. Connect with friends by sharing meals and attending lectures and art exhibitions together.

If some of your friends have an art reception or lecture, attend them and celebrate accomplishments together.

​My Group Exhibition:I have been co-organizing the exhibition Ash and Flash with Denise Joyal. I have to say a huge thank you to Denise who took on the brunt of the work as I have been busy moving and making this transition to Savanna, IL. Hope to see you at our opening reception Friday, March 16 at the Sweetwater Center for the Arts.

It's hard to believe it's officially fall as I finally edit images from the summer.I really enjoyed creating these berry bowls and colanders. Exploring a variety of cut out designs, and pairings of fresh berries and fruits in the completed forms.

The addiction or rather labor of love for these cut out designs is now morphing into new forms. I have been making jars with cut outs lately to hold potatoes, avocados, and garlic. Vases with cut outs in the top third. Once I have fired and photographed some of these I will start sharing some of the photos in a new blogpost.

Side note: This spring I finally learned how to use the time lapse feature on my phone. Yea, a little behind in understanding technology. Now I have process videos that I am making and sharing on instagram on a regular basis. Here is an example of my time lapse of creating a berry bowls.